Nine Degrees East
by ImpVarjack61
Summary: Princess Anna has fled the kingdom, and Yoseph (OC) is in hot pursuit. The sequel to Angels Awaken, this next act finds the path these two were destined for and a higher calling that neither could anticipate. The fate of the entire world hangs in the balance...
1. South

_A/N; Hello Fans!, and welcome to the second act of Angels Awaken. It has undergone an extensive rewrite as it was intended to be a philosophical romance, but didn't contain any romance. This act contains age inappropriate relationships, sexual situations, implied sexual violence, tragic loss, salty language, and copious amounts of religious blasphemy, none of which is graphic. However, you have been warned, it has triggers galore. That said, it now makes for a better read this go round. Oh, and there's gratuitous Pirates!_

 _On with the show, and I don't own these characters, Disneyco does . yada, yada, yada..._

 _"If the eyes are the window to the soul, Anna's were a greenhouse."_

Boredom.

That's what sailing like this is. No one to talk to and nothing to do but wiggle this tiller back and forth for a thousand knots. But this was my punishment, and I had a mission. I just felt something driving me.

Was it my devotion to the Queen? Was it some strange love spell? The Halo Wave, or Wave as I now call it, did it have some secret effect?, and I'm now the Queens zombie servant? Oh, how the mind wanders out here.

I spend a lot of time thinking about what I'd say once I found her. I also thought about what I'd have to say to the Queen if I didn't. Intuition or not, this was the most dangerous thing I've done, including having ten warships come at me.

I had a lot of time for reading, much of which was spent with my nose in the Bible. With it's incredible length, and cryptic verse, it all seem so confusing. Like it was done on purpose. Shouldn't we as common folk be able to understand His word and recieve His message directly? Instead of some bishop standing in front of us every Sunday while we throw a few coins on a plate?

Is this what the love of God does for us? And what the Bishop said, something about a path of righteousness, isn't that what going to church every Sunday and prayer were for?

Praying, now that's something I had time for. And I did pray to God for guidance on this Holy Crusade.

Because that's what this is. Anna is an angel, a lovely... vision... of an angel...

 _ **Damn**_! That thought skewers my brain every time it happens, damnable witch! See must've put a spell on me! My wife's grave has no grass on it yet, and I have thoughts for this child.

All that time at the castle, while working with the Queen, she would pop into the study to see what we were up to, or I'd pass her in the halls. We would make eye contact, then her face would light up.

she'd give that coy look and blush up just ever so slightly, then as she passed I'd get an air of her perfume, and I'd swear my feet weren't touching the floor any more. It was intoxicating...

This is the curse of man. To desire the flesh of youth. But why her? Why these thoughts Lord?! WHY?!

I'd almost wish I'd find her dead corpse being picked apart by crabs on a beach somewhere just to quell the temptation.

Please, Dear God, spare me from these feelings, I do not desire them...

About half way there and I had to pick up some food and I managed to break a block on the boom. In my rush to leave I didn't bring a spare. While thinking about how fool hearty that was, it occurred to me what a perilous journey this must be for the Princess. All alone on that tiny boat, with pirates, bad weather, and no knowledge of the topography, it seemed so foolish.

And yet so brave. I asked around the village I managed to stumble across if they'd seen a crazy redhead, but no luck. She was a drop of water in a vast ocean. Something about her impulsiveness was intriguing, however.

What was I doing? Why am I doing this? I was ready to just throw the past away, like an old pair of shoes that just can't be repaired any more. While the boys may miss me for a while, they would move on.

With Laila gone, what's the point? Nine degrees to the East and I'm back to my old life again. I could leave magic snowmen and fireballs behind, and if Arendelle returns to forever winter, so what? Hopefully the boys will be smart enough to get out.

The Queen had shown me an infinite amount of mercy, and she was depending on me, and me alone to rescue her sister. That's handing a lot of trust to someone who wanted to murder you.

I must go on, it just kept gnawing at me. A voice in my head that repeated it over and over, you must go on. You must find her.

The wind became favorable and I made up some time, and there it was, Lazarote. I sailed around the island for half a day when I spotted it, the remains of the little boat.

It had been smashed into the rocks, apparently for Anna this was a one way trip.

Just before I left port I saw a small icicle form on a lamp post right in front of me. The Queen was in trouble. Anna had to come back, she just had to.

I sailed to the nearest village and that's where I found her, but I stayed out of sight for now. It was like taking the lid off the pot, all the pressure was off. She's alive, and now I can complete my mission.

Now I just need to get her back to the boat.


	2. The Island

The island was a paradise, no wonder she wanted to come here. The place just exploded with color. Even their simplest looking mud huts were decorated with bits of broken glass bottles stuck in the walls, anything with a solid surface was painted with some kind of in your face color. These people had no monetary system to speak of, and were very poor.

And it didn't matter. These people were rich in spirit. There was no evidence of excessive toil. A kind of wonderful laziness hung in the air, no one was in any hurry to get anywhere. They had fruits of all kinds, and coconuts, man it's been some years since I've seen those. I plunked down a flake of gold and got me one, and a bottle of rum. That coconut made a fine drinking glass. All I needed was a tiny umbrella.

That night there was a party on the beach, maybe I should rephrase that, there was a party every night on the beach. These people knew how to live.

Though they seemed rather Godless, I saw no religious artifacts anywhere. No Crosses, no Crescents, no stars of David, nothing. By their manner of dress, reminding me of the Queen, they had no modesty at all.

Then I seen her again. The grass skirt was extremely short, her breasts were barely covered. On her wrists and ankles were bands of flowers. A giant lily behind her ear. And they oiled her hair and body from head to foot. I had a hard enough time keeping the vision of that Goddess out of my head, and now I see her like this.

She was dancing around the fire to this wild and chaotic music, filled with drumming and somewhat dischordant harmonies. Flames dancing all around her in wispy columns.

And drinking, I've never seen her, or the Queen imbibe any alcohol. She was free, this place was free.

It was very strange to see a recent widow act this way, it appears she just snapped. Driven over the edge by one too many terrible events. Death and loneliness have been draped over that woman like Jesus dragging that cross thru the streets. So in one fell swoop she just left it behind, came to this place and just pretended like it all never happened.

Her life in Arendelle was so structured, this place had none of that. Life was a party here, but parties don't last. And I would have to convince the Princess to come home. I said we can stay for a few days, I'm not in any hurry to get back on that damn boat. I kept having the feeling she needs this, I needed this too.

Rani lived in a rather small palace compared to Arendelles, but it was cozy, and the breeze at night made sleeping easy. She had taken me in as well, and we spent the next week in paradise. Anna was quite the hit on the beach at night, even the kids want to see the "Fire Ghost" woman dance.

I told Anna what I had seen before leaving, and that I suspected that the Queen's magic was being affected by her absence. After this trip, they would never be separated on this earth again.

Well, for any length of time anyhow. A week was about their limit.

"I understand, Yoseph. I always dreamed of this trip, but my parents...and Elsas "problem", made this trip impossible till now."

She made the air quotes gesture.

"But my Lady, that boat you took was barely seaworthy, and I feel "seaworthy"... Now I did the air quotes ...is being a bit generous, you put yourself in great danger. Especially a woman alone..."

Cut off. Again.

"I can take care of myself, I don't need you..."

"My Lady, I get it. I fought with you, remember,... Lieutenant Feisty Pants?" She laughed, that wonderful laugh..., ugh. There would be no end to my torment.

"I'm sorry, but my whole life had been so structured." She just used that word structured, now we were thinking the same thing?

"Get up Anna, it's the Queens coronation, it's Sunday, it's time for study, blah, blah, blah, yes sir, no ma'am. I'm so damn sick of it all."

That would be the one and only time I'd ever hear her swear. What is it about this place? I feel the tug of the Divine, in a godless country, why?

Anna said her tearful goodbyes, and promised to return. A promise she would keep. The provisioning of the Serenity was done and it was time to go.

I really, really want to stay.

0000000000

 _A/N,_

 _I realize the first chapter was a little thin, and Anna in this second chapter is acting kinda' weird. But like most things in this tome, there's a reason for all this. Anna's trip down was much more eventful, so I'm writing a very short story detailing her journey._

 _While I wanted to incorporate it into this story, it's a major spoiler,and steps away from Yoseph's POV, so I'll release it when this story ends._

 _All will be revealed._


	3. The Talk

_A/N, Thanks guest for reveiwing and I'm glad your enjoying the story so far, this goes for any of you that are not reviewing as well. A story unread is just some bytes on a hard drive. I'm going the release 2 chapters this week as "Loss" is a bit of a downer, and I don't want to release it the day before Thanksgiving. Now on with the show._

* * *

Finding the wind was tough. While coming down the coast was easy with autumns northerly breeze, we would have to tack back. My calcs showed a two month journey that way. No can do, the Queen would be a popsicle by then. So we sailed west out into the ocean, no land in site. Four days out and we found the southerlies.

They were a bit weak but we would make better time. We just needed to get home.

Home, my business. I left two rather young men in charge of the place. I hoped it would still be there.

My salary as an Admiral paid well, so I felt it was time to pass the torch to my boys and let them make there own fortune in the world. With all that's been happening over the last few months I haven't spent much time with them, they are growing up and soon they'll fly from the nest.

I've had plenty of reflection time here lately, and for the most part, it's been a good life. Well, until recently. My wife and I had grown somewhat distant before her death. The passion of youth had passed with the raising of children, and she didn't get the chance to see her little birdies fly. Maybe things would've been different if she had lived in the empty nest, or maybe she would've moved on.

I'll never know.

With this reflection I have realized that Elsa wasn't solely to blame for her death. The fact is the King and Queen handled Elsa very poorly. Anna got some help with her powers. It worked. She healed a wound on her sister. She cut an entire ship to pieces. She made pretty lights on a beach at night.

Anna just now put her hand under a pot for today's meal. This was real handy as we didn't have to waste precious space on wood or the expense of oil. She was in control.

We had a lot of time to talk, and I decided to inquire to all the events of coronation day. Her time with Hans, and how charming he had been. How she charged out, then lost her horse, how she meet Kristoff at Oakens. their trials on the way up the North Mountain, and Olaf.

The Palace, both Kristoff and her found it so mesmerizingly beautiful, yet by the sounds of the conversation that Anna and Elsa had, it was a prison. In which Elsa would lock herself away for the rest of her life. At that moment my view changed about Elsa forever. She too had sacrificed herself, but for Elsa, it didn't work.

Then Elsa struck her again, with a much bigger blast to her heart. How she felt like it cut her in half. She probably would've been better off, slowly freezing to death is a very painful way to die. Then she described Kristoffs valient efforts to save her, only to be crushed by Hans, and left to die.

The choice she made out on the fjord. She only had a few seconds to make it. She really wasn't sure if kissing Kristoff would work, but she knew for certain that Elsa was going to die if she didn't do something. This is by far the bravest thing that I've ever heard anyone do, to throw your life away for someone who's basically treated you like didn't exist.

And she died, seeing a sea of white, then felt the embrace of her sister who at that moment was inconsolable. And the joy the two felt when she came back to life, realizing that love was the cure. If these two would've been allowed to love each other, and play together, and just be children. All this could have been avoided. Love, that's something the Bishop had eluded to.

The cure for it all, just a simple act of love.

"My Lady, now that I've heard your story, I must tell you mine. A few months ago, when I approached your sister with the idea of building the Gudbrandr, it was actually a plot to destroy the Queen. Some of us villagers got together and came up with a plan to sabotage the Gudbrandr and scuttle it with her trapped on board."

Anna turned white. Well, whiter than normal. Here she was trapped on a boat with her sisters attempted murderer. This woman's suffering just seems endless. She was staring down at the deck when she said;

"But I've seen you with the Queen, you seemed concerned for her welfare, especially when she was injured. Was it all just a lie?"

"No, remember after the battle when we talked?"

"Yes."

"I was becoming emotional at the site of your halo, and I didn't want to talk any further. When I was struck with the Halo Wave I was changed somehow after that."

"In what ways?"

"First, that Queen Elsa wasn't the enemy, and she felt to me like family. Then I..." Opps!, I was slipping. I didn't want to discuss how I was starting to feel about her.

"Just spill it, Yoseph."

"My Lady, it's j..."

"Anna, just call me Anna right now. We're in the middle of the ocean, I think we can dispense with the formalities. Besides, I don't feel like much of a princess right now."

"Anna, it's your eyes. Every time I look at them now, I just get this uneasy felling. I don't know if the Wave caused this or not. But it's unsettling."

"I'm sorry Yoseph, I don't want you feel uncomfortable around me, we're kinda' stuck with each other for now. I'll try to avoid eye contact with you." She seemed very dejected at this point.

"No, Anna, that's not what..." Crap, I was at a loss for words. "Ugh. Let's try that again. Anna, it's just that you are so beautiful, and..."

Beautiful?, your joking, right?!, I have to look like a hot mess right now!"

"Your outward appearance is not what makes you beautiful, Anna. It's your inner beauty, it shines thru like the sun, especially in your eyes. You are very irresistible. How Hans didn't feel anything for you, just seems so impossible to me."

"Kristoff said something like that once... I thought he was full of it at the time, and he was just trying to make me feel better."

"No, Anna, he was absolutely right. When the Queen sent me on this "suicide mission", in the back of my mind I was so happy to come after you. Although outwardly I cursed every minute."

"You didn't volunteer?, that's not very chivalrous."

"I was being punished, considering the crime, the Queen was being quite merciful."

"She's changed as well, and I know she has spoken highly of you. The old Elsa would've had you swinging."

"I think things will be more even keeled once I get you home."

"Yes, now I'm on my way back home, to be the spare." I've never heard her complain about being second to Elsa ever, her sarcastic and dreary tone seemed very unlike the Princess.

"You shouldn't look at it that way, the Queen is not the leader Arendelle needs without you. You are the Ying to her Yang. Even if dusty, old books say different. You saved Arendelle that day of the thaw, your sacrifice is well respected by all of Arendelle, even the ones that fear your abilities. When we plotted your sisters demise, we wanted _you_ to be queen."

"Still, going home will be difficult without Kristoff to come home to."

"Yes, without Laila, I feel the same."

That was the bond we had, the irony was strange. This once again felt like some grand design, to get us together in this boat alone, on this long journey. Little did I know just how right I'd be about this feeling...

Then she asked,... the question I've been dreading. She didn't talk to anyone before leaving, and didn't inquire about his death.

"How did he die?"

This is one time I'd really like to lie, but I feel she should know the truth. This habit of delivering bad news was wearing thin on me.

"He was murdered,...by Hans." I felt horrible about leaving out my involvement with Hans release, but I thought maybe my incineration at this moment would jeopardize Anna's safe return to Arendelle.

Her eyes went completely dead as her breathing turned into a huff. Some water in the bottom of the cockpit that she had her toes in began to boil.

"Um,...Anna..." I sheepishly pointed at her feet while giving her the impression that maybe she should just calm down when she bolted up, and shot the light drill with both hands into the water.

"AGHHHHH!"

The explosion of steam instantly blanketed us while the water under the boat turned to foam. This was now causing the boat to sink.

"ANNA, PLEASE!, you'll swamp us!" She snapped out of it, and then she just curled up into a ball, sobbing.

She then looked up, and I'd seen the same look in the Queen's eyes that night I spoke of Kristoff's death.

"Hans had better hope I don't find him first, I'll roast him ever so slowly like a pig at a feast. I might even jam an apple in his mouth!"

Um, ewww. This was pretty dark for the Princess. I gave her some time to calm down, then I've got to lighten things up somehow without straying too far from what we were discussing.

"Tell me some more about your honeymoon with Kristoff."

She proceeded to ramble at great length all about their adventurous travels, and more. While it was painful for Anna to talk about Kristoff, I felt it was important for her to get it out. He was gone and there would be no bringing him back. The thing that bothered her now was missing his funeral, something the Trolls had taken care of. "My L...Anna, the best thing for you to do now is visit the grave as soon as we get back. You must make your peace with him."

She would visit the grave at least once a year for the rest of her life.


	4. Loss

It was about week number three out in the middle of the ocean, looking for wind to get us home.

And we were in trouble. Sailing toward land meant winds that were going the wrong way.

While we could tack, I went with the fastest way home strategy. It may have been a mistake. Anna had felt somewhat ill over the past couple of days.

Early in the evening Anna came from below in severe pain, she couldn't make it over rail and squatted down by the tiller. A large flow of clots and blood erupted from her. This wasn't a normal cycle...My God!, Anna was with child, and she just lost it.

She turned around to look, then ran her fingers thru it. Like she was searching for the baby, that wasn't there. If she could just have something to hold, or nurture. But that's not how this dreaded event occurs. She has no experience with children, and didn't know what to expect. Nobody told her...

What could I say to someone who's just gone thru all this? What words of comfort could you give this girl? She's already been thru so much, and now this final blow, this last remaining element of her love for Kristoff is gone.

This is what the Queen was so upset about on the day when I told her of Kristoffs death. She knew,... She knew that Anna was with child. Was there something else at play here? When did she know? Did she let Anna get on the Gudbrandr and fight knowing this?! She must have, and I pushed her. Oh, my God!

Wait,...wait, maybe she told her that night after the battle, I know they were together, some joyous news would've lifted the Queen's spirits. Now is not the time to find out, however.

I had noticed she looked a little pudgier, but I attributed that to the fact she ate in copious quantities in Lazarote. Now I feel awful, if we had stayed closer to shore...

For God's sake Anna, why didn't your tell me?!

* * *

She just sat there and stared at the ocean for an hour before going below and sobbing herself to sleep.

I really wanted to comfort her, but at the time I didn't know how.

The next morning all I could do is hold her, we embraced for a very long time. I just wish we could get back home, and leave this sail of death behind us.

It started to get cold. Winter was coming.

And we needed to get off this boat.

* * *

 _I really struggled with this chapter. I wanted a real crusher, but it was really crushing me. Researching it was hard, as I needed graphic details and it's a touchy subject that apparently the internet didn't want to provide._

 _I used my own personal ignorance as a plot point._

 _Then I read a story about a woman who had to touch the remains, and I did gain some incite. If the details are not accurate I apologize, I spent days crying over this one, and felt as a fictional story I got it close enough._


	5. Mesethieon

"Good evening, Yoseph."

When I turned around I wanted to say, how did you get here? But I neither had time to form the words, nor would they make any sense.

The "man" who was standing in the cockpit had a halo that was lit all the time. Then he told me who he was.

"I am Mesethieon, the Voice of God."

This was not an angel incarnate, this was an angel from heaven. I was getting a little woozy at this point.

"I am what you would call an archangel, and I speak for God."

It took a second for what he just said to sink in. Gods right hand man was standing in front of me, the Voice of God. His only purpose would be to tell me something that God has decreed. What would God ask me to do?

"God has sent me to tell you, you must sire an offspring with Princess Anna."

"Wait, what?!" Her little phrase she used all the time had rubbed off on me.

"I cannot be with that child in that manner, she is more like a daughter to me. Not to mention we are both grieving the death of our spouses."

"We have foreseen you response, so I must explain to you Gods reasoning. First off, who is this child you speak of?, did she not get tested in battle? We are telling you the future, but the future is not always set. One path will lead the world to peace and righteousness, the other death and destruction. We have cleared the way to the Righteous Path. Now you must fulfill Gods decree."

"What do you mean cleared the way? Are you telling me my wife and Anna's child were in the way of this Righteous Path?"

"Yes, Yoseph, and many other things that you've experienced over the last few months."

The gravity of what he just said made my brain stop working for a moment. How could what he was saying possibly be true? To kill a baby, in the womb, seems like the most horrendous thing anybody could do.

But that's the thing, any-body. This was God doing this. I needed answers, but grilling Gods Voice seemed a bit over the top. Here goes nothing.

"Why?" It's all I could get out, then I started to heave over the railing.

"This is going to take a while, so go ahead and get it all out, and please pay attention as I hate repeating myself." He paused for a moment.

"Choices, Yoseph. You always wanted to know the reason for your measly little existence, and why you are here, choice."

"Anna chose to hop on a little boat and sail to the island paradise. She chose to stay on the beach and drink from a stream that ran into the ocean. A tiny parasite that lived in that stream caused the death of the child. If she had stayed at home, she would have raised the child by herself. But the child would have grow to be an ordinary man."

"What's so wrong about that?!"

"Nothing Yoseph, but we have bigger plans. Remember, I said the future is not set. God can see many things, but God cannot see _all_ things."

Now what he just said really threw me. If God cannot see all things, that means he is fallible, and can make mistakes. I might as well use my Bible to prop up a wobbly table.

"Now that these events have been set in motion, a far more terrible fate awaits Anna." What could be worse, how could she possibly sink any lower?

"If you go home and stay away from this woman, Hans will find her and rape her, seeding her with a child possessing dark powers that will turn the world to ash."

The mental image of that horror sent me back over the rail.

"Pretty horrible outcome, eh, Yoseph? All of which can be avoided by your true love for Anna."

"But how did..." Cutoff, again. This is getting old, even when it's from God.

"Looks like I have more explaining to do, ugh." He said with a deep sigh.

" Angels incarnate are God's messengers, or spies if you will. She can feel your passion for her, even though you deny it openly."

"Yes, I do feel that way, but she casts this strange spell with her eyes. I'm not sure if it's real."

"That's called true love Yoseph, I would think you've seen it enough to recognize it."

"But it just seems so different."

"Yes, true love does that."

True love? He kept using that term. Now love has different levels? Did I not love my wife of eighteen years? Was it not "true"?

"It all goes back to choice, Yoseph. It is humanities greatest gift. In heaven, we have no choice. We must worship God, and follow Gods very narrow path. While your paths can split in many different ways.

You have been given a choice here. To follow Gods..." Now it's my turn for the cutoff.

"What do you mean choice? I cannot go against such a decree, I cannot say no to God!"

"Ding, Ding, Ding! We have a winner!"

"Now you know the suffering of the Angels, and why you are here on this earth. We are very jealous of this place. And why so many want to be here. Choice Yoseph, this decree you can refuse, with dire consequences.

But you can still chose. Either father the savior of the world, or burn it to ash. Your choice, but I would suggest going with God on this one."

And with that he vaporized and blew away with the wind. Anna popped her head out of the V berth and said, "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing, just a sea creature." Another lie, I've got to stop doing this.

Hans. The lie. The battle. The lost child. My wife. The Wave. The insect I killed, all had led to this. God didn't know about Hans coming to Arendelle.

So that's why Hans didn't fall under Anna's spell. He must be an Evil Incarnate, doing the biding of the Devil. Would they fight a war between Heaven and Hell here on Earth if I didn't have a child with Anna?

Is there even a Devil? Mesethieon never even brought him up, and I didn't ask. Damn!, there were a lot of things I should of asked about. Maybe he just told me enough, and I'm supposed to figure out the rest. Here's that "God works in mysterious ways" dreck again. He sends his most trusted angel to me and I'm still left with questions, even though I now know the meaning of life itself. And was Anna in love with me? It was just too soon. My wife is fresh in the ground and now God wants me to be with Anna.

"Sorry God!, but it's going to have to wait!" I screamed to the heavens. It's just going to have to wait.

I really need to get some sleep.


	6. Pirates!

_A/N, Looks like I missed international "talk like a pirate day" by a few months! Never the less, break out your best pirate voice while reading!_

* * *

Sleep, only a few precious moments of it when I started to hear the creaking.

"Ahoy, there. Prepare to be boarded." Some men were climbing down rope ladders to tie us off when I heard the Captain.

Pirates, now that's just great.

"Come out with your hands up. So what valuables do you have on board?" That's when Anna stepped out and into the torchlight.

"Whoa, ho, ho, ho! Look what we got here boys, we're gonna' party like it's 1799!" A cacophony of hooting erupted. Apparently its been a few days since the men had seen a woman, especially one as beautiful as the Princess.

"As Captain I do believe I'll be gettin' the first round."

"Sloppy seconds!"

"Thrashing third!" and on were bandied about, the swine.

So we're trapped. Time to bring the Wrath of God. I whispered out the side of my mouth,

"Light 'em up, just give 'em a taste."

With her hands already in the air, she formed a mid sized fireball between them then sent it into the rigging, the topsail burst into flames. Both of the pirates who tied us off had scrambled up the ladders while the Captain just let out a big belly laugh, joined by most of the crew.

"OH, ho, ho. You're slayin' me, ha, ha! Fine then. Say boys, what say we turn her into a stew?, I've heard witches are mighty tasty!" once again they all erupted into laughter.

"Show 'em."

"Really!?, Now?"

"Yes, now Anna." With her hands still up, she moved them closer to her head and showed them her halo, and once again I was drawn into it's beauty.

OOHHHHHW!, well now, that's a different kettle of fish all together." Looks like my gambit worked. While pirates had no fear of sorcery what so ever, they had no plans of tangling with the Divine.

"How may we serve you, your Holiness?"

"We could use some food." Anna piped up, and I added, "Some bait as well."

"Well don't just stand there, ya sea dogs, get 'em what they want!"

Fruit. been a few days since I've seen that. And jerky, along with a jar of chum for bait and then they quickly cut the lines and sailed off, trying to put as much distance between us as fast as possible.

Finally, something has gone our way. Time to try sleeping once again. This time however Anna came in and curled up into me as full dark set into the berth. I was her only refuge at this moment, and for some strange reason, I've never felt better on this trip than now.

Warmth, it was like sleeping with a cuddly dragon. My wife's feet were like a block of ice. Not Anna's, her warmth was all over, she put me at such ease. I slipped into slumber immediately.

The next day the winds picked up from the south. We were now running wing on wing and making good time, I figured we were just a week from Arendelle and the safety of home. We started running in shifts and could sail full time. so we didn't get a lot of chit-chat time till we got near.

And then,... There it was, the fjord we called home. Next to Anna's halo, this is the most gorgeous site ever.

When we got in, snow started to fall. How fitting. Gone almost two months, and winter had just set in. The royal guards were scrambling down to the dock to scoop up the Princess and take her back to the castle.

I said my goodbyes and gave her a big hug. "My Lady, we do need to talk once everything calms down, and I also need to see the Queen." Who happened to be on the castles balcony at this point, looking very happy that her sister and other half had finally returned.

It was now my job to go down to the store.

"Father, your back!"


	7. Telling Anna

Looks like the boys had things well in hand and we hadn't gone bankrupt while I was gone. There was a backlog of paper work to do, however. I helped them get that all straightened out, then it was time to make my announcement.

"Boys, it is time for you to take over the store."

"Really!, but why?" They were a bit young, but drive and eagerness are just as important as good business sense.

"I want to devote full time to my position as Admiral and to the Royal family."

"But I thought you hated the Queen."

My God!, have I been that busy? I didn't share my epiphany with them. Note to self, spend some time with these two.

So I told them the whole thing, including my visit with Mesethieon. I did skip the part about Hans, it's just too brutal to bring up now.

"Dad, you realize that sounds completely insane."

"Yes, Liev, it does."

"What about the Princess? What does she think about all this?" Asked Bjarne.

That was a very grown up question, but I didn't have an answer, because I haven't told her yet.

"It's not something I've discussed with Princess Anna yet. We are a recent widow and widower which makes what I have to say kinda' delicate, but I'm headed to the castle tomorrow. I might then, the Princess is in danger and needs to be told as soon as humanly possible."

"What danger?"

"I can't discuss it with you boys, it's a touchy subject, and it came from the lips of God himself. But hey, I'm starved, is there anything in the pantry?"

I really wanted to change the subject, and I listened to all the trials they endured while I was away. Their problems sounded so mundane compared what the Queen, Princess, and I had been thru, but it was wonderful to get away from death for a while.

* * *

It was time, my stomach was in knots. I was deeply in love with this woman, but I didn't want to hurt her. I really don't think she has any feelings for me, but that night in the berth. It felt like something from a dream or some fairy tale, it was such a strange sensation.

So the Queen, Princess and I had breakfast together. It was a bit of a somber affair. I'm guessing Anna had informed the Queen of her miscarriage. Judging by the look on Elsa's face she was more upset about this than Anna. A decade would pass before I found out why.

We all said our pleasantries and then I asked Anna if she would talk for a while. The Queen said something to the effect of haven't you two talked enough? But the gnawing in my intestines was telling me this had to come out now. We found a private spot, I held her hands and managed to choke out the words.

"My La... Uh, Anna, remember that night on the water when you came out of the berth and I said it was just a sea creature?"

"Yes, why?"

"It was not from the sea, but from Heaven."

"Wait, WHAT?"

Every time she said that, I wanted to laugh, it just didn't seem appropriate right now.

"His name was Mesethieon, and he said he was the Voice of God."

"I guess I did miss something!" Now normally this is when people tell you you're coo-coo, but the expression on her face gave her away. I have a feeling that she has knowledge of Mesethieons visit, or maybe he visited her first. For now I'm just gonna' roll with it.

"Anna, I'm not sure if your ready to hear what he said, but you are in danger and this cannot wait."

OK, deep breaths. "God has decreed that I have a child with you. This child will be a savior to the world. If you do not do this Hans will hunt you down and seed you with a child of tremendous evil that will destroy the world."

After I said this, there was this long awkward pause. I'd bet this was the same situation with Jesus when he was told he was the Son of God. The Bishop was trying to tell me something, maybe he had a vision of this very day.

"Do you love me?"

Damn, trick question. She knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from my lips, this isn't exactly what I expected. Answer quickly, you moron.

"Yes, Anna, more than life itself." She hugged me, then spoke softly into my ear;

"I heard you shouting that night, what did you say?"

"That God is going to have to wait." She then backed off a bit.

"Are you contemplating going against Gods decree?"

" Mesethieon never gave me a date, I'm certain God is infinitely more patient than us mere mortals." Then it occurred to me I wasn't speaking with a mere mortal. That discussion would come later.

"That night after the pirates came, in the berth...I...wanted so badly to..." She couldn't bear to look at me as her voice trailed off.

"You don't have to say it, Anna." I took her chin and looked into her eyes, I swear I was staring straight into her soul, her pupils were so large, it was like I was being drawn into the heavens.

"But my husbands grave is still fresh, I feel so awful."

"It's OK, Anna. people seek others in times of crisis. Even with physical love. We were out in the middle of the ocean. On several occasions we could have died. Between starvation, disease, and well,... pirates. It was a very trying time."

"Did you feel the same?" The list of possible responses looked like they were on a scroll in my mind, lets go with honest... Sort of.

"All I could feel at the time was your warmth, I felt so safe, it felt so right. But I didn't want to hurt you. When the time comes I want it to be special. You will always remember the first time with someone, I want that memory to fill me with joy. It was just too soon for me as well. That's why I was so angry with God, it's not fair to throw us "under the sleigh" like this." I had one more thing to add.

"Rushing into relationships has caused you nothing but grief and pain, my Lady. I know you loved Kristoff and he was a good man. I do not know if I could have rode you back to the castle the way he did. It was unselfish beyond words. The one thing we have here is time. Let's just take it easy for now. How about seeing some culture like catching a play, or maybe going out on the town and just whooping it up?"

She let out this little giggle while her nose wrinkled up, I so loved that look.

"OK" was all she said, so I kissed her on the forehead, and that was good enough for now.


	8. Convo with the Queen

It was now my turn to have a one on one with the Queen. Our conversation at breakfast was rather limited. What I'd say to her now would have much greater consequences.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your time this morning."

"Your welcome, Yoseph. And I want to thank you personally for bringing back Anna alive and well."

"Your Majesty, I think "well" is not the word I would have chosen."

There's that word chosen again.

"Anna has told me all about her trip, including the loss of the child. It's an unfortunate accident of nature."

"Begging your Majesties pardon, but this was not an accident."

"How do you possess such knowledge?"

"I have only just now informed the Princess of my conversation with...God." I hesitated in the full knowledge of what her reaction would be.

I'm sorry, WHAT!?

"While we were at sea, I was visited by the archangel Mesethieon. The Voice of God."

"I know you were out to sea for a long time, Yoseph, but this is lunnie-talk. Are you sure you want to continue?"

"Trust me when I say this your Majesty, it was not a pleasant experience, and I wish he did not tell me what he did."

"Alright, Yoseph, you got my curiosity up, what did he say?"

"He talked about a righteous path, and many of the things we've experienced over the last few months were involved in this clearing of the path. He talked about choice, and the freedom we have as souls on this earth are based on what choices we can make. When Anna chose to get on the little boat and sail away, she set off a course of events that led to the loss of her baby. But I have a feeling that maybe God himself is "nudging" us in some way to steer us on to this path. Like when I changed my mind about you, your Highness. Something about all this has some kind of grand design, and it feels like God himself wanted the baby out of the way.

All this time I've personally felt some strange influences here. When he started to speak, he just blurted out this, and I have to believe this was the very thing that all we've experienced together has led to.

And you're not going to like it, your Majesty..." Now my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest and scamper away across the floor...

"I was to sire a child with Anna, and he will be the savior to the world. If I do not, Hans will find Anna and rape her, seeding her with a child of great evil that will destroy the world in fire."

"And yes,... he used _that_ word."

Now I've seen the Queen in shock quite a few times lately, but this one takes the cake.

"The first c-child" Elsa said, somewhat shakily.

"Begging your pardon, your Highness, but what does that mean?"

"Think about it, Yoseph. The first male child in royalty has claim to the throne, if the child were to be..."

"Oh... my God, your Highness, he said "If Anna would have stayed home she would have raised the baby by herself, and that child would grow up to be an ordinary _man._ Mesethieon knew the gender of the child, so that would have ruined Gods plan."

"Have you and Anna made any plans yet?" Her eyes had a far away look, like she was staring at the future.

"Yes, I want us to be friends."

"That's not much of a plan, Yoseph."

"I understand that your Majesty, but God is simply going to have to wait until Anna and I have a comfortable relationship first before the siring of children."

"Does He know this?"

"Well, if He heard me screaming it at the top of my lungs right after His angel left, then yes. He knows." I had to pause for a second. I had asked this same question decades ago when I asked Lailas father for her hand in marriage. Right now I felt I was getting too old for this, but God has forced my hand.

"This is why I requested this audience with you, your Majesty. I want to ask your permission to court Anna."

"It does not seem I have a choice." She kind of looked away while rolling her eyes as she said it.

"Well, that's what I said. But the truth is, we do have a choice, it's just that the consequences are dire if Anna and I do not do this."

"Do you love her?" It would be a lot easier for me to answer this time. "Yes."

"What about Anna, how does she feel about all this?"

"Your Majesty, I recommend you get that straight from her."

Then she took one of those deep breaths that she always does when she's getting ready to bring the pain.

"You have my blessing for now. If this is some kind of deception I will personally dispence my own version of the Wrath of God, do I make myself clear?"

"Understood, your Majesty." Then she said something totally unexpected.

"I want you to take good care of my sister, that is all that matters."

"Now that is my first priority, your Highness. I'd like to add something else as well."

"Speak." There's that not wasting words thing again.

"I feel it is my duty to take care of you as well, your Highness. It is my belief that you and your sister are connected somehow, besides being siblings. Just before I left for Lazarote, I saw an icicle form on a lamp post."

"Yes, I was quite uneasy while Anna was away."

"For the longest time, I feel that I've been charged with a Holy Crusade. My conversation with the Archangel reaffirmed this. It is my duty to protect His Angel Incarnates here on earth."

"Angels!?, I'm certainly no angel."

So I went thru the whole thing. About how I felt at the dock, and how it changed me. Then I had Anna come in to the Queens study. Anna and the Queen stood in front of a mirror and Anna lit the Queens halo up.

The gasp she made could be heard down the hall.

We exchanged our pleasantries and then I left the castle with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.

Love is an open door, but this time God had to unlock it.


	9. Countship

_This is far and away my favorite chapter, and not just because it's got naughty stuff in it. Anna's torturous life is over, and it's time for some humor, I hope you guys get it. It has also undergone several rewrites. Oh, and bedhead Anna makes her triumphant return!_

 _BTW, I love kittens, and it's called hyperbole, it's something writers use to drive home a point..._

* * *

Anna and I did become friends. This is what I wanted, and while it may not be on Gods itinerary, that's just too bad. We would spend time having picnics up on the cliffs near the waterfalls, Or riding around on those new-fangled bicycles. One nite the Queen had a get together for something that made its way to Arendelle over the winter.

Fashion.

It seemed that women the world over had heard of the Queens rather revealing ice dress she cooked up while on the mountain.

Soon Arendelle would become the fashion center of the world.

Anna looked simply stunning that night, wearing a freshly designed all white sleeveless affair with gold floral embroidery and a strange attachment of the outer skirt layer that was only attached at the back.

Although putting something all white on "Sloberella" virtually guarantees someone with a brush in the sink cursing their maker.

When she stepped out of the doorway the skirt had the appearance of a butterfly who had relaxed her wings, it certainly fit her mood. That night we danced the soles of our shoes off.

When the Queen came out there were plenty of ohs and ahs. Like her ice dress, it was very flowing, with lots of sheer material. I had to admit this was growing on me even if my sense of modesty was holding back my praise.

But the way the shoulders were cut was my favorite part. The right shoulder was covered completely and the right arm had a full length sleeve. The left shoulder was completely bare with no sleeve, showing the deep scar she got on the Gudbrandr that day in battle. She could have just as easily reversed this, instead she wore that scar like a badge of honor. While the men in attendance would parade around with their epillets and their fake medals, Elsa jammed that in their smug faces. I could not be more proud of her. But Elsa's days of being a warrior were over, as no one dared to take on Arendelle after that day. The Gudbrandr hung around for a while as another cash cow came to Arendelle, tourism.

Seems folks love a winner, and Arendelle was a beautiful place in it's own rite. Plus visiting the Queen's ice palace was a big hit, especially with a gazillion sno-gies running around. Soon hotels would have to be built. The Queen put the brakes on a few projects, however. Like Anna's and my love, she just wanted to take it slow, greed was never part of the Queens life. She too was on The Path, and Arendelle would settle into a long stretch of peace and sustainable prosperity.

After about a year Anna and I got back aboard the Serenity. The bad memories had faded a bit and we would plod around the coastline for visits to local towns or the occasional fishing trip. She does love to fish, but our trip back from Lazarote soured her hobby for a while. Being a mostly water locked community meant sailing. If you wanted to go anywhere, it was by boat. But getting back on one was difficult for both of us, and I was Admiral of the Navy.

* * *

It was a cloudy morning with just a touch of drizzle. I was just finishing up shaving when I seen it, that first gray hair. Then I thought about the young, vibrant woman I was in love with. Sometimes I felt like I was depriving her of the love she deserved, but we were following Gods plan, and I was determined to make the best of it.

I was hoping our weather would work in my favor for what I had planned for the Princess and myself tonight. I went down to the bazaar to find an artist who specialized in landscapes by the name of Endre. Once I found him I consigned him to paint this evenings sunset. I told him "Use any style you wish, but it's important to get the colors right. Can you do that for me? Cost is no object."

"Sure!, I've got this covered, you'll love it!" He had some of his work displayed and frankly, it was beautiful, I sure hope he captures the moment.

Later that day I dragged her Highness down to the Serenity for an evening sail and a light meal. Yes,...sandwiches!

I don't know if God knew what I was planning, but He sure was helping out. The sky was ablaze in color. Rays of light were shining in sharp streaks across the sky above the cloud tops. There's just something about the oranges, pinks, and purples that show at this time of the evening. These colors just never seem that vibrant in real life during the day. I hope Endre comes thru on this.

Anna and I were on the foredeck on a blanket, holding hands and just taking it all in. The peace would only be interrupted by the occasional flock of seagulls. The normally chatterbox Anna wasn't there tonight, she managed some brevity, somehow.

"It's so beautiful tonight, it's like it was made just for us. As if God himself blew these clouds here. Thank you for bringing me here Yoseph, you sure know how to make me feel fantastic, and I know our relationship hasn't been forged over the most romantic of circumstances, but...I love you."

In this light her eyes were this teal color that was so beautiful I felt like leaping out of my skin. We could not wait any longer, We've behaved ourselves long enough. Without saying anything, it was time to go below and consummate our love. Waiting for marriage seemed a moot point, neither of us were virgins and this has been building to the boiling point over the last few months.

I'm sure the Serenity was quite the site as it was rocking violently on a sea of glass. Then I heard those three words that every man dreads at this moment;

"What's that smell!?"

While Anna had great control of her magic in her hands, her feet were a completely different story. She'd already gone thru several pairs of shoes and few skirts in the last year and a half.

While in the fiery throws of passion, she literally set the bed on fire. So after a bucket of water and a quick dunk of her socks in said bucket, we were back at it. What a night!

Once we got off the boat and back into town, it was fairly dark. Our new gas streetlamps were just being lit. While Anna had straightened out her clothes and generally look presentable, her hair looked like it got into a fight with a wildcat...And lost.

On our walk back to the castle we were passing a family, papa was sniggering under his breath, mama looked like she'd seen a ghost, and the child looked at the princess and said;

"Are you alright, your Highness?"

"I'm fine, what makes you th...", then she looked into a store window...

"AKKKKKK! 'cuse me!" Then she ducked into an alley with enough speed to stir up the leaves on the sidewalk. I decided it would be wise to follow her to insure her safety when she blindsided me with her palm as I turned the corner.

"You let me leave the boat with my hair like that?!, how dare you!"

"Yep,...Gotcha! You have no idea how hard it was for me to keep a straight face."

The scowl on her face, however, was priceless.

"You recall the first time I said I love you?, I said this day would be memorable and I delivered, didn't I?"

"I guess so, but you had better put a mirror in that wretched boat tomorrow, or I'll give you something that you wouln't forget!" She was waving her fist in my face, but when she was done we both just started laughing.

"Settle down, feisty pants!" Then she punched me in the arm, but I just swept her up and gave her a big, long kiss. A shop keep was throwing his garbage out and shooed us off, he probably thought we were a couple of kids, and we sure did act like it.

This was true love, the very best kind. Most...Perfect...Day...Ever.

A few days later I went to check on my artist friend. He captured every detail of that night, and it would be her favorite wedding gift...

* * *

It was next spring when we said our vows before God, And we would Honeymoon in our island paradise. With a few changes this time. We took our fastest clipper with a full crew and food complement, and Elsa joined us. While taking close family members on a honeymoon seems a bit unromantic, my duty along The Path is to keep my two Angels in good working order. The Queen never interfered in our affairs, and she was a good friend. I was glad she came along.

Frankly, the woman needed a break. We now had a council big and stable enough to allow the Queen some down time.

One night on the beach she got blind, stinkin' drunk.

"I'mmmm fiinnne!" Then five seconds later, thump. Face down in the sand. "Could somebody take Queen Sparkles back to her room?" Said Anna, who processed alcohol at a much different rate than Elsa, the woman could hold her drink.

Now I haven't heard that one in a while. Elsa was taking a tour of the Gudbrandr during it's construction when her flowing cape snagged a diagonal brace notch and whipped her head into another while trying to inspect the berths.

Bang!, out cold. Geirr commented on how her dress sparkled while she lay motionless on the catwalk. Yea, I wasn't going to forget that one Elsa, that's your nickname for life. At the time I thought she got exactly what she deserved, now she's here with us on our honeymoon. Go Figure.

But my focus on this trip was Anna, the same lovely vision she was a few years ago, but much happier this time. And we were definitely intimate.

On the way back was a different story, however. In just about the same spot she lost her baby, Anna was looking out over the rail for a long time. All I could do is hold her. Then I whispered into her ear just two words,

"I know."

That event would haunt her the rest of her life, but we still had Gods decree to fulfill, and that would ease the pain.

She stared at the ocean for a moment collecting her thoughts, then turned to me with those big, puppy-dog eyes and said;

"That is is the reason why I love you. You have been so understanding of me, of all my troubles and failures. Like my fiery feet, my lousy table manners or the fact that I'm a bit of a slob. With Hans or Kristoff,...or the baby."

"I wouldn't call them failures, my Love. It is not a failure to love somebody, even if they don't reciprocate, or it doesn't last. Wanting a deep, true love should be the goal of everyone, I'm so glad my greatest love is with you."

A long kiss and embrace followed, and as she backed away I saw the tears start to form in her eyes and my heart just melted. Her eyes, looking into them at this moment felt like I was falling off a cliff, into a bottomless pit, our love an endless chasm. Like we were floating in space. There was no one else in the universe except us, our eyes locked together for all eternity...

Who wouldn't want to feel this way? But in the back of my mind the whole thing feels kinda' forced. Was this all just some giant scheme to get us to fall in love, and raise the Savoir of the world?

This feeling never left me, and just like Anna's haunts, I had my own. But raising the Savoir would require the most perfect of family environments, and that meant two people who were really in love with each other. It just had to be genuine, it just had to. I must keep my faith, and follow The Path.

It would be another two years before the heirs to the throne would start to make their way into the world. The castle would be filled with the sound of children playing once again. There would be no more locked doors with children behind them, even if they do have powers, which of course bad news for me, they did. A boy, three wonderful girls, and the most beautiful woman in the world. I am truly blessed.

Anna's and I's age difference was always a trouble spot for me, and she never lost that girlish spunk, until she had children. Then it was all Mama. She matured quickly, and gained a few kilos in the process. While I had enjoyed her scrawny teenage appearance, I certainly felt more comfortable with Mama Anna.

Anna's pregnancy with Kjell was the strangest thing, her joy was absolutely infectious. I swear you could have drown a bag full of kittens in front of her and she'd still just have the same sappy smile on her face, nothing phased her. Being in her presence others had this feeling as well, it was like being cradled in your mothers arms. A feeling of deep contentment, like I've never felt before, this child must have some kind of emotional power.

The Princess decided it would be a good idea to spend some time with the children of the village. They would sit perfectly still and quiet while she read them stories, or told them stories of her own adventures. No matter who she was around, they could feel this absolute joy that would emanate from her, it was a very wonderful time for everyone in Arendelle.

Playing the role of the Holy Mother fit well with Anna. While it was not glamorous or all that exciting, it made her happy. It's not like she turned into the typical role of baby factory like most royal females were expected to do, Anna had her fair share of adventures, and she was a brave warrior.

It was important to me that this role was right for her, I'd let the world burn in flames if it meant she would've been miserable in her Holy Crusade. Anna made a choice, it's why we're here, and after all the heartache and suffering this woman has been through, she deserved to kick back and do the most important job on earth, raising the Savior of the world.


	10. Auntie Elsa

_A/N, Hey, check this out, a chapter about Elsa, from me! In all honesty, I love Anna as a character. She's this warm, snugly, loving, teddy bear of a person who's just adorable, but very impetuous, brave,and of course, feisty. With just a touch of vulnerability. And I seem to love stomping on her continuously. :)_

 _Elsa comes off as cold, logical, and fear runs her life. But with the help of her sister, she too gets the loving streak, and her fear gets under control. This is why they never should have been separated. But in order to get Yoseph and Anna together, all these events had to happen, as sad as it was. As I wrote the Angels Awaken saga, I gained a new found respect for Elsa. I felt she deserved her own chapter, and she's still my Elsa, just a little older, wiser, and softer. Well...for the most part. This chapter is years in the future, as the Holy Ones begin to grow..._

* * *

Auntie Elsa was out in the courtyard green space with the kids. She had built the neatest little ice fort for them to play in. After a while she then walks out with a tray full of cupcakes to get them all sugared up before sending them back to us.

She was the coolest Aunt ever, literally and figuratively. Who else around here could build you stuff, tell great war stories, make sure you're the snazziest dresser, and give you all these yummy treats to eat?

Auntie Elsa did have a very important role in the raising of these children, she would pass forth her great knowledge of math and science. Maybe this was the role she was truly destined for. Later in life she would teach at the University, to waste that talent baking cupcakes seemed criminal at the time. But helping to raise the Holy Ones was even more important to her than being Queen.

A couple of times she had made an all magic power boat to take them out into the fjord. Little Alva would keep yelling "Again!" as Auntie Elsa would punch it. They too had the need for speed, it would be there in the world they would rule.

Rule the World, I bet someday I'm going to regret knowing this. Just then I got a knock on the door.

"Admiral, we found him." Damn, this was going to be a long day.

Out in the stables were the remains of Hans Westergaard. His skeleton was found in a small ravine only a kilometer from the castle. It had been found by some children who were playing hide and seek, guess they got more than seek. I told the guards to be sure to bring the parents before the Queen. She will want to make sure the children are not traumatized.

There he was, that murderous son of a bitch. The worst part was knowing what this swine was going to do to Anna, and to the world. Only the skull, rib cage, and hipbone were left of him, looks like the wolves got the rest.

Then I seen it. jammed between two of his ribs was a snapped off piece of antler,... Sven, my God, Sven must have done this. He shoved him into the ravine. But when? Right after he killed Kristoff? The timing would be off. That means Mesethieon lied, that's not possible! How could God lie to me? Or did Sven stalk him down later? Did God command Sven to kill him? There was no way to know the answers.

Once again, my faith would be tested. I have practically met God himself, and now doubt has crept in. For a moment, I thought I should launch an investigation, and find out if Hans had maybe hid out in one of the local villages and bide his time, then launch a strike against the Princess. But it was all just a theory, and maybe I should just let it go. God and I both got what we wanted, and that'll just have to do. Hans is dead, he'll never be able to hurt anyone again. But there has to be an evil behind Hans, and I will have to be ever vigilant. Anna and the children must be protected at all costs.

I sneakily took the piece and put it in my pocket. I didn't want my new personal hero to be implicated in any way. Sven would be very old by now, if alive at all. After Kristoffs death he was never seen again.

Oh, how I wish I could have been there for that. Good boy.

"So this is what's left of him?" The Queen kinda' sucked the air out of the room, I'd soon realize why. "Your Majesty, It has been confirmed." The guard handed her a button, it had the Westergaard crest on it.

So she walked up to the corpse, ripped the skull off of it, and stared straight into the eye sockets for a moment. Then she wrapped it up in a small horse blanket and tucked it under her arm. Looks like the bad-ass is not gone after all. I couldn't help but grin.

"Two things gentlemen. I want this piece of shit off Arendelles Kingdom before sundown, and I was _NOT_ here, understood!?" A chorus of "Yes, your Majesty." was said by all, nearly in unison. After she walked out one guard said to another, "Remind me to never piss her off." Indeed.

* * *

Anna and I sat down for a quiet dinner by ourselves. Getting the children to eat after a day with Auntie Elsa was an exercise in futility. The strange actions by the Queen today made my curious nature come out, so I decided to grill the wife.

"Anna, I was wondering. After seeing your sister with the kids today, why didn't she take a husband, and have children of her own?" As soon as I said it, I realized I had touched a nerve. But our relationship together would not rest on a bed of secrets and lies.

"She's barren."

So that was is it. All these years of being stumped by these mysteries. She didn't want to marry then not be able to produce offspring. She was depending on Anna for that. And at one time for Kristoff to be a father.

"Does she know why?"

"No, but it's assumed it had something to do with her powers, her womb was possibly frozen as a child. The "experts" couldn't give my parents a straight answer."

Wow, and I thought her being locked away was bad. That doesn't hold a candle to this. "That's horrible, now I feel bad for asking."

"I'm surprised you didn't ask sooner, husband."

I really didn't feel like talking much after that. We just ate our meals in peace. But I wonder if somehow Hans had gotten to the Queen before the day of the coronation. If he did, what did he say? Or do? Or was she upset about what he might have done to Anna? These mysteries will probably follow me to the grave, maybe in the afterlife I'll finally get the answers.


	11. Mesethions Return

_A/N. Here we are, at the end of the Angels Awaken saga. It had to happen sometime. It's a new year and that'll mean change, some old stuff going away and new stuff will take its place. I feel like I'm sayin' goodbye to an old friend._

 _This story is my Baby, and always will be. As it disappears into the ether, it is my hope you've enjoyed my tale. Using God as a fictional character is upsetting to some folks. But I can personally guarantee the chances of God being upset about this tale are slim compared to the horrors that are carried out in "His" name._

 _This probably spells the end of my longer Frozen works, maybe it's time I move on. Readership has been very poor, and it'll be a long time before I perfect this particular craft._

 _Anyhow, have a great 2017, and thanks for reading!_

* * *

I was once again steeped in paperwork when Gods messenger appeared. He damn near gave me a heart attack,... again.

"Greetings Yoseph, I see you decided to follow The Path."

"Yes, but I did it my way. So what does He have in store for me today?" I just realized I was being very flippant about addressing God, what would happen next would be a surprise.

"Hahahaha!, Yoseph, your killing me!" He was hunched over with his hands on his knees with one hand slapping it. For someone who didn't need to breath, he sure seemed to be having a lot of trouble.

"You people! ...Tell me Yoseph, why do you think that the creator of all life in the universe is a man!?"

"God is a she?"

"Oh... honestly, God is not really anything like what your silly beliefs envision, she lives as a lake on a planet rather far from here."

Well so much for Michelangelo's painting.

"Do you mean she lives in a lake?"

"Noooo, she is the lake."

Alright, God is a puddle. What's next to destroy my image of God?

"That is why she sends me to do her bidding, and I have a special job for you. It's one of the reasons why we picked you."

I always wondered why me? What was so special about myself that Gods number one guy would come to me, and demand I have a child with that precious woman. I didn't deserve this. I was just a shop keep in a small village in a tiny country of little significance in a big world.

"I have to ask, why..." cutoff again. Man, this is getting old.

"Why you?, ahh Yoseph, there are a few reasons. First is your faith, God is really into people with faith. You kept yours despite many trials, many would have forsaken God under such stress."

"You mean like the story of Job?"

"Well, yes. But that never actually happened."

"But I thought the Bible was Gods true spoken word."

"Yoseph, I hate to tell this, but the Bible is mostly crap."

"Wait, What!?" There it is again.

"Yoseph, the Bible has been changed and distorted thru the years in order to serve the church. You know the story of Jesus, right?"

"Yes, he died on the cross for our sin, to allow us into the Kingdom of Heaven, and keep us out of the Lake of Fire." Mesethieon laughed out loud again, he almost fell to the floor. "I know I've heard that bit a million times, and it keeps getting funnier, every time I hear it. Jesus was a hack, water into wine, fehh. The dude just wanted to party. And Lake of Fire, oh, that's rich!"

Now he tells me in his backhanded way there is no Hell, what could possibly be next?

"Ok, Yoseph let's try one of those parables you put so much faith in."

He looked around for a minute, then found the gold leaf cigar box Anna gave to me for our anniversary.

"Now take this and smash it on the ground."

"I'm not doing that, Anna would kill me! Besides, I like that gift."

"So why would you think that God, the being who loved and created you would burn you for eternity, just because you had one too many beers down at the pub?"

Once again, here we are, with me just about to pass out.

"God simply does not care about sin the way you think, Yoseph. She doesn't care about what you wear, what words you use, if you eat meat on Friday, or who you love. Those are rituals. They were created to "police" if you will the common folk. Now while Jesus taught many good values that should be followed, he was not the Son of God."

"Then who was he?" That was all I could come up with.

"He was an angel incarnate, like Anna and Elsa. He did try to bring peace, and it did work for a while, but greed and corruption will wick into any crevasse that has money around it. It wasn't too long ago that the church was the number one power on Earth."

"So now who do I follow?"

"You Yoseph. You follow you. Remember that thing I told you about on the ocean?"

"You mean choice?"

"Good, looks like you were paying attention. What we want now is a New Bible, one that preaches choice, and why it is good to chose the Righteous Path."

"So who is go...ing...to...?" Then it sunk in, that's why he's here. God wants me to write the New Bible.

"Ahh Yoseph, your very astute. I didn't even have to ask."

"But why now?"

Mesethieon walked around me and was staring out the window, watching the children playing in the courtyard.

"Let me ask you a question, Yoseph. Do you think it's a good idea to hover over your children and scold them at their every misstep?"

"No, they would never develop any individuality that way."

At that moment Kjell was tugging on Jorunns braids while she would disappear, reappearing behind him, then knock him over. I yelled out the window,

"You two stop that or you will be weeding your mothers garden for a month!"

"That's what we're doing here on earth, Yoseph. God hates to interfere but every once in a while she has to step in and be a parent. Frankly,... this world is a damn mess, and it's all because of these stupid books!"

Just then Mesethieon picked up my copy of the Bible I had in my study, chucked it in the fire and watched it burn.

* * *

Now I'll give you a moment to let that soak in...

Let's review.

The Voice of God, who may just as well be God, has thrown "her" holy book into a fire,... in anger.

It looks like I have lot of work to do...

* * *

"Ok, Yoseph. we never got to "why you" too clearly. The fact is a lot of people still put a great deal of stock into that damnable book I just burned. One of the things that the church covered up is the fact that Jesus had a family. He had a daughter that they hid away to protect her from the Romans. So they slipped away with her to Egypt. You are a descendant of that girl. The church didn't want Jesus to have any family, fearing that they would have claim to the church, and all it's riches. So they lied, and turned Mary Magdalene into a whore."

"The Path, Yoseph. We must clear the way for The Righteous Path. That what this has all been about. God cannot just wave her hand over the earth and fix it,... though that would surely make it easier. I will return to help you write this new word of God, and together, we will get it right this time."

"But the amount of time it will take will be enormous!"

"Trust me when I say this, Yoseph. This New Bible will be much shorter."

Then I thought out loud. "Where do I start?"

"Start with your story, Yoseph. And this one final thing that our New Church will be built upon. Choice."

And with that he disappeared.

* * *

So that's my story. We were at the dawn of a new age. Soon we'd have to pack up an entire town and move it to a more spacious local. Arendelle was just too tiny and we would need to be able to come in and out by land. Neuendelle would be a gleaming, shining beacon to the world, filled with art, music, science, and healing. And when my son would mature, he would conquer the world.

Not with guns and war, but with love. The most powerful force in the universe.

And with the greatest gift to humanity on this planet,...

Choice.


End file.
